How breakfasts and brunches are emerging as preferred meals to socialise over

Is breakfast good for you Weve rarely heard this line in prepandemic times But now thanks to the new normal and restricted operating hours at night restaurants and cafes have witnessed an increase in footfalls in the first half of the day Breakfasts and brunches in the form of slowerpaced meals are rapidly emerging as the preferred optionCold brew chocolate tartReisha Shetty a magazine intern likes sleeping in but a brunch or breakfast plan would get her out of bed The 22yearold likes visiting Subko Coffee and Poetry by Love and Cheesecake and feels the best part about waking up now is to meet friends and then realise that you have the rest of the day for so much more ldquoA morning plan is more relaxed and slow paced and one can savour the meal company and spacerdquo adds Shetty whose morning picks include eggs Benedict a stack of pancakes or French toast As a child she remembers accompanying her uncle for different breakfast options every week mdash be it an Udupi a bakery or a cafeacute ldquoIt is my fondest memory and since the pandemic this has become a great optionrdquo the she saysFilter coffeeNeha Joshi operations director of Subko Coffee agrees that post lockdown a lot of people are waking up early to work out or cycle ldquoThey like to follow their experience with a hearty breakfast People working from home find it convenient to plan meetings in the first half of the day With restricted timings itrsquos sensible to spend more quality time with friends and family than rushing through drinks and dinnerrdquoVeggie BenedictBandra resident Abhishek Jotwani is a morning person and is ecstatic when friends agree to meet up in the wee hours ldquoIt is an amazing kick start a hearty conversation over a good meal is a recipe for a great day Evenings are passive in comparisonrdquo says the 27yearold PR professional His breakfast options typically include traditional favourites such as poha dosa and upma as well as English brunch breakfasts ldquoMy recent discoveries which include Greenr Cafe and Seeds of Life have encouraged me to explore healthier preparations as wellrdquo he elaboratesAbhishek Jotwani and Reisha ShettyldquoWe see different kinds of patrons mdash cyclists and runners in the early mornings families for relaxed breakfasts freelancers through the day artists corporate types for meetings couples on dates and friends bonding over coffeerdquo says JoshiTake Your PickAllday indulgenceChoose from croissants experimental toasts and granola bowls along with specialty coffees including SIF South Indian Filter on the rocksAt Subko Specialty Coffee Roasters and Bakehouse Bandra West The Craftery by Subko Byculla EastTime 8 am to 8 pmRules whatThe weekend No Rules Brunch includes chaat offerings from the raw seafood bar Think cured prawn paani puri sea bass tartare lsquosev purirsquo and lump crab lsquodahi papdirsquo with pomeloAt The Bombay Canteen Kamala Mills Lower ParelTime 11 am to 4 pmUnlimited brekkieThe good old South Indian indulgence of idli podi dosa medu vada uttapam upma and pineapple sheera can never go out of styleAt Sri Krishna Nana Chowk Grant RoadTime 7 am to 11 amCost Rs 150200Super SundaysBastianrsquos Sunday brunch menu is divided into three sections Salt Salt Sugar and Sugar They serve an array of small eats and refreshing Sunday cocktailsCall 8419966853 Bandra 7208656073 Worli Prior reservation recommendedTime 12 noon to 4 pmCost Rs 900Morning gloryThe first beer thatrsquos been sold here is at 8 am A clear sign that morning is the new cool Pick from truffle mushroom omelette French toast with housemade jam and croissant sandwichesAt Silly Ground floor 5th Road KharCall 90044 18654Time 8 am to 10 pmVegan and vegetarianLocated on the lower floor at The Origin food store the cafeacute offers vegetarian and vegan fare Fig and almond milk smoothies shaved asparagus and kale salad and Thai warrior bowls make for delicious optionsAt O Cafe The Origin 352 Linking Road Khar WestCall 68508888Time 11 am to 10 pmHealthy kickGet your fill of clean options for a hearty start Pick from quinoa veggie upma a cacao smoothie bowl or a wild mushroom and walnut saladAt Seeds of Life Juhu and BandraTime 11 am to 1030 pmCall 9653336089